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My wife and I moved to a brand new subdivision from a very mature area earlier this year and what we missed most this summer was a backyard with a patio and lots of grass. Fortunately, a few weeks ago the sod people arrived and covered the dull brown dirt with bright green grass. Yay!

The builder issued instructions to water our grass for approximately 2 hours every day for the first couple of weeks to ensure that the sod could take hold and thrive. However, several homeowners have disregarded these instructions and have only sporadically watered their lawn. As a result, their grass is starting to turn brown and die.

The same type of neglect also happens in sales.

Sales people often neglect to execute certain concepts that contribute to their success and they wonder why their sales falter or die off. Here are eight things that many sales people neglect.

Nurture existing accounts. Just because you captured the initial sale does not mean you have a customer for life. You need to nurture your accounts and keep adding value to ensure a competitor does not come along and take the business from you. Keep in touch with these key accounts and look for ways to continually add value. A coffee meeting or lunch is often all it takes to keep abreast of the changes in their company and to discover new opportunities to help them.

Nurture prospects. Many sales people make contact with prospects but fail to keep that contact alive when the sale doesn't immediately happen. Unless you sell a small ticket item, it is essential to keep your name in your prospect's mind. Look for ways to stay in touch with prospects by providing valuable information or industry insights that will help them improve their business.

Personal development. Too many people stop learning and integrating new strategies into their routine. What worked last year may not be relevant today. Just because you attended a training program a few years ago does not mean your skills are current. Make the time to read new books, attend an industry conference, listen to audio recording, or participate in a training program.

Recharge time. Taking time to rest and recharge is essential if you want a long term career in sales. Let's face it, selling is challenging and it requires a tremendous amount of effort and energy especially in today's difficult business environment. Recharging your batteries can give you renewed energy and inspiration not to mention new ideas and thoughts. Take your allotted vacation or if you operate a business, take time away from it so you can return refreshed and recharged. Even a few days away from the day-to-day rigors can make a difference.

Networking. Many people aggressively network when they first embark on their sales career. However, as time passes and their sales grow, they gradually stop networking as much as they used to. They get caught up in the day-to-day busyness of their job and stop making time to connect with others.

Filling the pipeline. Some people experience major fluctuations in their sales and this is usually a result of not keeping their pipeline full with new prospects. This is particularly true for small business owners or sole proprietors who work directly with their customers. They often end up working on a few projects and stop prospecting. However, when those projects are completed, they usually discover that they have no leads to follow-up on. A general rule of thumb is to ensure that you have 300% of your sales quota in your pipeline at any given time.

Cold calling. Not every business relies on cold calling to generate new leads or business. However, the vast majority of sales people rely on this age-old strategy and neglecting it can seriously affect your results. You may not enjoy calling strangers (I don't know many people that do!) but it still generates business.

Follow up. Although it is mentioned last in this article, follow-up is one of the most important concepts. Many of my prospects and customers have said, "Thanks for following up" when I finally connected with them after making multiple attempts. Decision makers are extremely busy and neglecting to follow up after an initial meeting can cost you the sale.

Neglect doesn't happen overnight. It usually starts with one small thing and gradually expands into several other areas and the result can be devastating.

About Kelley Robertson

Kelley Robertson began his retail sales career in a men’s clothing store in the mid-seventies. With no retail experience or sales training, he struggled to make ends meet and eventually changed directions by moving into the hospitality industry.For over a decade he worked in a managerial capacity… more